Second quarter average fuel economy dips to 22.5 mpg

2012 Honda Civic EX – Click above for high-res image gallery

Data compiled by the number crunchers over at Ward’s Auto shows that the rush to purchase fuel-efficient automobiles is on, but vehicle availability has been an issue.

Impacted by quake-related shortages, vehicles sold between April and June averaged 22.5 miles per gallon, a 2.4-percent improvement over last year’s second-quarter average of 22 mpg, but still below this year’s near-record first-quarter mark of 22.7 mpg. The decline in fuel economy came as gas prices rose to $3.86 per gallon, up more than half a buck from the $3.32 average during the first quarter.

The dip in fuel economy is attributed to shortages of some of the most fuel-efficient vehicles in the U.S. – including the Honda Civic, Toyota Prius and Toyota Corolla – which shows that the indirect effects of the quake in Japan continue to be felt months after the first tremors subsided.

Photos copyright ©2011 Steven J. Ewing / AOL

[Source: Ward’s Auto]

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